Transformation Cafe

In this week’s episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome back Kay Gilley, the author of “The Game Called Life” available from Amazon. In this episode they discuss chapter 7 and summarize the themes from the book.

Click the link below to purchase The Game Called Life on Amazon.

About Kay:

Kay Gilley is a spiritual coach and mentor to executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. In her writing, public speaking and individual work, she helps individuals break out of habitual near-life experiences to rediscover life, foster latent creativity and reclaim their whole potential. Kay has been described as “the world’s leading thinking on intention.” She says that means intention is the assignment God has given her to master at this point on her journey. To date, here spiritual homework has included writing four books on fear, courage, and intention. She describes The Game Called Life as the ultimate exercise in spiritual surrender…written in five days with passion that changed her life and her health. Kay writes the blog YouKnowInYourHeart.blogspot.com, and she is also a keynote speaker, in addition to her “day job” as senior organizational development consultant at NASA Headquarters.

In this week’s episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome back Kay Gilley, the author of “The Game Called Life” available from Amazon. In this episode they discuss chapters 5 and 6.

The Game Called Life: Book Club Notes

Chapter 5 – Reconciliation

(Chapters 5 & 6 are actions we need to take to win in the game called Life. Emphasis on connecting with Oneness, asking, listening.)

To win at the game called Life requires us to be in the present—not in the future which cannot be known by anyone nor in the past where our karmic story dominated our lives.  Moving from our karmic story into our divine legacy story requires “reconciliation”—the bringing together of these two diametrically opposed world views. The process of reconciliation assists us to keep the only commitment that binds our souls—the one we made before we were conceived to our soul and our integrity: to be at One with All That Is.

The process of reconciliation:

* Hold self in Oneness

* Ask what the Universe would have us do to be at One with our intentions—the goals of our souls

* Listen to the answer and then follow precisely (We don’t need to, and probably won’t, understand directions. Our job is to follow.)

Broken commitments and guilt, blame, and shame resulting from lack of forgiveness from our karmic story take us out of the present and into the past, creating “pinpricks in our integrity.”

Commitments-identify broken commitments, learn from them, and consciously choose what behaviors you will choose in your divine legacy story.

Forgiveness-is God’s nature. We are all here to experience our godliness. Players are reflecting their godliness when they forgive when asked for forgiveness, and they allow others to step into their godliness when they ask for forgiveness.  Forgiveness liberates players from the burdens of guilt, blame, and shame that keep pulling us into the past.  Forgiveness process:

* Tell the truth

* Ask for forgiveness     K.I.S.S.—Keep It Simple, Simon

* Say thank you

* Make amends

We can be overwhelmed when we begin to identify all the broken commitments and forgiveness breeches.  Karma will want us to think it is too much and that we cannot win, so we will give up.  Important to remember that each action fulfills several intentions, while building relationships and trust—the essence of being in the present.

Chapter 6 – Integration

The complexities of our sum total of the covenants of all the people in the world, overlapping and constantly changing, challenges our human brains, but Lizzie learns from Helen that when we act as guided, we will serve several intentions at once.  In Chapter 6, Lizzie acts on guidance received in Chapter 5 in her conversations with Helen.  In each case, she is delightfully surprised that, as promised, several intentions are served by simply acting on her guidance.

The lesson that our covenants are memorized in our feelings is reinforced; she notices that each time she completes something that was a covenant, her “heart swells” and feels full, reminding her that she is on track and also assuring her that she has stepped away from her autopilot mode.

Click the link below to purchase The Game Called Life on Amazon.

In this week’s episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome back Kay Gilley, the author of “The Game Called Life” available from Amazon. In this episode they discuss chapters 3 and 4.

The Game Called Life: Book Club Notes

Chapter 3: Redefining Success

The material world would have us believe that we need to develop a plan for our lives, set goals, and succeed in material ways. In The Game Called Life the only goals that count are the intentions — the goals of our souls — established before we were conceived. When we are at one with the goals of our souls we are in integrity–the word means to be “at one” or to be “whole”. When we established these intentions before life, we memorized the feeling and our commitments are stored as a feeling in our hearts: a feeling of oneness with God–the compass of the heart.

In the game called “Life”, we are plugged into an intricate matrix of souls all trying to evolve, develop gifts, and doing service. We are intensely interdependent. If one person doesn’t learn their lesson or develop their gifts, a ripple is created to identify others who are capable of taking over for them. In the meantime, other assignments must be found. Others may move ahead more quickly and be ready for a new assignment sooner. Amidst this complexity how do we stay on track and succeed?

* Compass of the heart – allows us to stay current with what is needed from us in the complexities of the universe, as they change moment by moment. We never get the big picture because it is changing constantly. Helen tells us to imagine being at One with all that is and the act of doing so allows us to access a network of support–comprised of beings like Helen–which is “eagerly awaiting”.

* That support network can’t interfere unless it is invited. After holding our hearts open, we must ask for guidance, which will be current with the needs of that moment. Showing up is a “main event” in life: everything we do is sacred, even though we don’t know how. Everyone who crosses our path is a “human partner”, a helper on our journey, as we are helpers for everyone else. We just don’t know how it is we are to help unless we ask. We are changing the world in simple ways…every day in every act.

* Because we memorized our commitments as a feeling, our emotions are quick access guides to what is going on in our soul. Feelings of hopelessness are the compass of the year speaking to you and saying you are off-track, it is time to tune in, listen, and show up for the “main events” of our lives.

The book started with Lizzie receiving a wake-up call. After explaining how we succeed at the game, Helen tells us the purpose of a wake-up call is to confuse players enough about what is real that they will turn to God/the Universe/the compass of the heart for answers to get back on track.

Chapter Four—Rewriting Our Stories

Each player goes through their game with a “story” about how things are—the “karmic story” because until it is challenged, it is all that anyone knows to be true.  When we live from our karmic story what we do happens without thinking. We react out of habit.  Our karma keeps us in an autopilot trance, acting or reacting without being aware of what we are doing.  Our karmic story is what we must overcome to evolve our souls. That is why it is chosen before we are conceived because we choose a family that will be most challenging to what we are supposed to learn.  The family, as human partners, sets us up for the lessons we need to learn, and those lessons will be reinforced by others as we “autopilot” through life. We learn and grow in consciousness only be doin...

In this week’s episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome back Kay Gilley to kick off another book in the Cafe Book Club! Kay is the author of “The Game Called Life” available from Amazon. In this episode they discuss chapters 1 and 2.

In The Game Called Life, a visit from jovial and sometimes irreverent spirit guide Helen propels mid-life Lizzie Magill from despair and emptiness onto her path where she discovers joy, meaning, and purpose as she learns the secret to winning in life. In chapters 1 and 2 Lizzie is introduced to Helen, who has come in answer to Lizzie’s prayers. Lizzie isn’t sure if she’s going crazy, or is she really hearing the voice of an angel. Why her? Why now?

Click the link below to purchase The Game Called Life on Amazon.

About Kay:

Kay Gilley is a spiritual coach and mentor to executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. In her writing, public speaking and individual work, she helps individuals break out of habitual near-life experiences to rediscover life, foster latent creativity and reclaim their whole potential. Kay has been described as “the world’s leading thinking on intention.” She says that means intention is the assignment God has given her to master at this point on her journey. To date, here spiritual homework has included writing four books on fear, courage, and intention. She describes The Game Called Life as the ultimate exercise in spiritual surrender…written in five days with passion that changed her life and her health. Kay writes the blog YouKnowInYourHeart.blogspot.com, and she is also a keynote speaker, in addition to her “day job” as senior organizational development consultant at NASA Headquarters.

The week we are pleased to welcome Elaine Brovont, a certified trainer of “The Eight Active Ingredients of Tai Chi” based on the Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi by Peter M. Wayne, PhD and Mark L. Fuerst. Elaine is the first person certified to train this program on the West Coast.

She describes this work as “Translating the Eastern concept of Tai Chi into Western language and bridging that gap.”

Elaine describes how she originally got into Tai Chi, and then how she became connected with the Harvard research program of Dr. Peter Wayne.

Can you apply it to your daily life?

“You can change the energy in a room by changing your posture, and your demeanor, and passing positive energy into a negative environment.”

The Eight Active Ingredients of Tai Chi

Awareness – including mindfulness and focused attention.

Intention – including belief and expectations.

Structural Integration – including dynamic form and function.

Active Relaxation – Tai Chi’s circular, flowing motion helps shift the body and mind into deeper levels of relaxation, and is a form of meditation in motion.

Strengthening and Flexibility – Tai Chi provides moderate aerobic training equal to levels obtained by walking at a moderate pace.

Natural Freer Breathing – more efficient breathing improves gas exchange, massages body tissues, including internal organs, helps regulate the nervous system, improves mood, and balances and moves Qi within the body and between the body and the environment.

Social Support – including interaction and community.

Embodied Spirituality – including philosophy and ritual.

From the description on Amazon:

“Conventional medical science on the Chinese art of Tai Chi now shows what Tai Chi masters have known for centuries: regular practice leads to more vigor and flexibility, better balance and mobility, and a sense of well-being. Cutting-edge research from Harvard Medical School also supports the long-standing claims that Tai Chi also has a beneficial impact on the health of the heart, bones, nerves and muscles, immune system, and the mind. This research provides fascinating insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms that explain how Tai Chi actually works.”

Contact Elaine:

Email: ebrovont(at)stanfordhealtcare.org

Phone: (925) 918-1026

On this week’s podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome back poet Michael Mejia. They are joined by Marsha and Vanessa, the owners of Sundappled Boutique in Claremont, California.

Mike shares three more of his poems. The first is one called “The Remembrance”. Mike says that this poem comes “from the eternal aspect, from a place that isn’t broken, and a place where the more we clear what’s fragmented and bring it back into alignment with the source of everything, then I get to create more evenly from that place.”

Mike reads a touching poem about the gift his parents gave to him: the wisdom to look inside one’s self for answers.

Michael’s upcoming events:

* July 30, 2017 6:00 – 9:00 PM– Poetry reading at Sundappled, 216 Foothill Blvd, Claremont, California. Michael is the featured guest along with Staxx and Ron Blakely

* August 12,2017 6:00 PM – Interworks Wellness Center,  1306 Monte Vista Ave. #8, Upland, CA – Kundalini Yoga and Poetry Reading

Sundappled Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sundappledboutique/

In this week’s episode of the Transformation Cafe, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome poet Michael Mejia. Mike shares several of his poems, and he and Robin discuss the poetry of Ahmed Badr, Rumi, and others.

Read Mike’s poem Untitled – A Journey Beyond Labels“.

Poetry is ordinary language raised to the Nth power. Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words. – Paul Engle

Mytho-Poetic States?

In this video Jason Silva  muses on the Power of Poetry from his “Shots of Awe” series.

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary. – Kahlil Gibran

Michael’s upcoming events:

* July 30, 2017 6:00 – 9:00 PM– Poetry reading at Sundappled, 216 Foothill Blvd, Claremont, California. Michael is the featured guest along with Staxx and Ron Blakely

* August 12,2017 6:00 PM – Interworks Wellness Center,  1306 Monte Vista Ave. #8, Upland, CA – Kundalini Yoga and Poetry Reading

References:

10 Points on the Power of Poetry

Iraqi Refugee Empowers Youth to Share Their Stories with Narratio – Ahmed Badr, an Iraqi-American,wrote the moving poem “A Thank You Letter From The Bomb That Visited My Home 11 Years Ago”. This article talks about his project that provides a forum for others to tell their own story. The article contains an audio link to Ahmed reading his poem.

In this week’s episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome Kay Gilley. Kay is the author of “The Game Called Life” available from Amazon. Kay and Amy have been friends for over 20 years.

About Kay:

Kay Gilley is a spiritual coach and mentor to executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. In her writing, public speaking and individual work, she helps individuals break out of habitual near-life experiences to rediscover life, foster latent creativity and reclaim their whole potential. Kay has been described as “the world’s leading thinking on intention.” She says that means intention is the assignment God has given her to master at this point on her journey. To date, here spiritual homework has included writing four books on fear, courage, and intention. She describes The Game Called Life as the ultimate exercise in spiritual surrender…written in five days with passion that changed her life and her health. Kay writes the blog YouKnowInYourHeart.blogspot.com, and she is also a keynote speaker, in addition to her “day job” as senior organizational development consultant at NASA Headquarters.

You can read more at Kay’s blog: http://youknowinyourheart.blogspot.com/

On this episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast, host Robin Masiewicz and co-host Amy Frost welcome Michelle Bassett, a Hidden Heroes Fellow, to discuss self-care for caregivers and the work of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

Hidden Heroes brings vital attention to the untold stories of military caregivers and seeks solutions for the tremendous challenges and long-term needs they face.

In 2012, Elizabeth Dole founded the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to support military caregivers after witnessing the hardships these spouses, parents, siblings, and friends of wounded, ill, and injured veterans and service members face while she was caring for her husband, Bob, during an extended stay at Walter Reed Hospital. Since the Foundation’s launch, she has led the way in exposing the military caregiving crisis and bringing crucial resources to help these hidden heroes.

You can learn more about VA Caregiver Support, and participate in 4 weeks of daily self-care reflections and activities provided by the Veterans Administration. Check out the excellent “Caregiver Workbook Module 1: Caring for Yourself“.

On this episode of the Transformation Cafe podcast we welcome back nutritional counselor Catie Fitzgerald. Catie tells us about her approach to staying well on vacation, by preparing your body ahead of time so you don’t get sick while having fun!

The CIGS Approach

A 4-prong approach to staying healthy on your vacation: CIGS. This is the only time that CIGS denotes something healthy for you!

* Condition your body to be active

* Nourish your immune system

* Prime your GI tract for proper function

* Reduce the impact of Stress on your body

Below is a link to a PDF of Catie’s great article! Download the article and you’ll find great resources to help you prepare your body and mind. Catie also includes a table of foods that provide vitamins and minerals to boost your immune system.

Staying Well on Vacation – (PDF file)

The Four R’s

After vacation, apply the four R’s to make your transition back to normal a smooth one.

* Reflect – on what you saw and did

* Re-establish routines– go to bed at a descent hour and set your alarm for the time you normally go to work

* Restock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy whole foods  so you can replenish your body

* Recalibrate – Plan your schedule and to-dos for your first week back to work. Revisit your personal and professional goals.

CONTACT INFO

Catie Fitzgerald, Health and Nutrition Coach

Enhanced Health Solutions

www.enhancedhealthsolutions.com

Email: [email protected]